"Chinese water deer" or just "water deer"?
I regularly observe water deer (Hydropotes inermis) on the marshes near to where I live in Norfolk England. These fantastic looking animals (sometimes with vampire-like fangs) were accidentally introduced following the escape of captive individuals in the early 1940s from Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire (UK animals now make up over 40% of the global population). The first record of this species in Norfolk was a single individual recorded at Hickling Broad in 1968, but they have subsequently spread to include most of the 'Norfolk Broads' as well as the north Norfolk coast. Locally people call these animals 'Chinese Water Deer' but the native distribution includes populations in China and in the Korean peninsula where experts often regard them as separate sub-species - the Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis inermis) and the Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus). This led me to wonder whether observations in the UK should be labelled only as "water deer" Hydropotes inermis or whether they could justifiably be narrowed down to "Chinese water deer" Hydropotes inermis inermis?
An answer to this question has recently been provided by Putman et al. (2021) [https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article-abstract/191/4/1181/5875588?redirectedFrom=fulltext] based on a genetic analysis of animals in China, Korea, France and the UK (as well as captive herds). This study suggested that water deer in Great Britain are not directly descended from any population remaining in China at present, and that the source population of British deer is likely to be extinct (probably individuals sourced from around Shanghai, where they no longer occur). Therefore, it is probably safest to simply call them "water deer" Hydropotes inermis.
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
10 individuals. See my journal posting about water deer in Norfolk - https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my journal post about water deer in Norfolk. https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Place
Missing LocationDescription
See my journal post about water deer in Norfolk and Suffolk. https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Place
Missing LocationDescription
See my journal post about water deer in Norfolk and Suffolk. https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
7 individuals. See my journal entry: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
Male with fangs! See my diary entry: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
Male. See my journal entry: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
5 individuals. See my journal entry https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my journal posting about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
3 individuals. See my journal posting about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my journal posting about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Place
Missing LocationDescription
See my journal posting about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
4 individuals. See my journal entry https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
At least 5 individuals. See my diary entry about this species in Norfolk: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
At least 10 individuals. See my journal entry about this species in Norfolk: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my diary entry about this species in Norfolk: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
Complete with fangs. See my diary entry about this species in Norfolk: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my diary entry about this species https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my diary entry about this species https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Place
Missing LocationDescription
Surrounded by starlings. See my diary entry about this species https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
At least 8 individuals, some with tusks. See my diary entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my diary page about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my diary entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my journal article about this species in Norfolk: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Place
Missing LocationDescription
With suckling fawn. See my diary entry about this species in the UK: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Place
Missing LocationDescription
See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
EuroBioBlitz 2023. See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
4 individuals. EuroBioBlitz 2023. See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
With fangs! See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
With fangs! See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Place
Missing LocationDescription
See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
Photos / Sounds
What
Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)Observer
heliastes21Description
See my journal entry about this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/heliastes21/55198-chinese-water-deer-or-just-water-deer
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